Top of the mornin' to ya on St Patrick's Day 2015, and the day I start my substitute period for Jen on Tuesday recap duties. Nick starts us off paying tribute to Lord Attenborough, who's memorial service takes place at Westminster Abbey today, leading the presenting team to reminisce about his films such as The Great Escape and Jurassic Park.
C1: Champion Chris Dromey (2 wins, 172 points.) A music lecturer at Middlesex University.
C2: Challenger Charlene Rose. A sociology student from Coventry, studying at Birmingham City University. Also studying for a Level 1 award in BSL, as well as being a rugby player, cheerleader and a black belt in karate. Some people can do to much eh!
DC: Susie Dent and Tim Vine.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: R C G U O A B E N
R02: A G H I O E D C L
R03: 9, 6, 4, 10, 2, 25. Target: 296.
TTT: SAVEROSE - "Save Rose from being stranded abroad."
R04: A S V O I M D E H
R05: P L A Z U I E S N
R06: 3, 3, 2, 4, 25, 100. Target: 906.
R07: R T B S A E O I L
R08: U R S E A M E J T
R09: 2, 3, 9, 7, 1, 100. Target: 412.
TTT: HOTCRUST - "Took the quick route to the barber's shop."
R10: O E D T R U P M I
R11: N R X A I E T P A
R12: O R T E S R I L S
R13: W A P K O T E A M
R14: 7, 8, 10, 9, 25, 75. Target: 815.
R15: T O P P S E L F I (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Enjoy the show.
Round 1: R C G U O A B E N
Chris: COURAGE (7)
Charlene: BOUNCER (7)
DC: BACONER (7)
OT: BURGEON (7) UNBRACE (7)
Score: 7–7 (max 7)
Perfect start from both contestants here. Tim's anecdote about BACONER oddly mentions how Miley Cyrus owns a pig.
Round 2: A G H I O E D C L
Chris: HAILED (6)
Charlene: HOAGIE (6)
DC: COILED (6)
OT: GLOCHID (7) HIDALGO (7)
Score: 13–13 (max 14)
Still all square here but a pair of 7s go unnoticed.
Round 3: 9, 6, 4, 10, 2, 25. Target: 296.
Chris: 296. 2*6*25-4 (10)
Charlene: 296. (10+2)*25-4 (10)
Score: 23–23 (max 24)
Easy numbers game to start the day
Teatime teaser: SAVEROSE -> OVERSEAS
Round 4: A S V O I M D E H
Chris: MOVIES (6)
Charlene: MOVIES (6)
DC: SHAMED (6) HOMIES (6)
OT: ADVISE (6) AMIDES (6) AVOIDS (6) DOVISH (6) MAHOES (6) MASHED (6) MASHIE (6) MEDIAS (6) MODISH (6) MOSHAV (6) MOSHED (6) SHAVED (6) SHOVED (6) VADOSE (6) VIDEOS (6)
Score: 29–29 (max 30)
It's as flat as a pancake over here with a staggering number of 6s on show
Round 5: P L A Z U I E S N
Chris: SUPINE (6)
Charlene: SPANIEL (7)
OT: ALPINES (7) INSULAE (7) LUPINES (7) PINEALS (7)
Score: 29–36 (max 37)
Deadlock broken as Charlene takes the lead with her "risky" seven
Round 6: 3, 3, 2, 4, 25, 100. Target: 906.
Chris: 904.
Charlene: 906. 3*3*100+4+2 (10)
Score: 29–46 (max 47)
OUCH! Chris misses a simple numbers and is suddenly 17 points behind. Is the champions run in jeopardy?
Tim delievers some more one-liners, ending with another appearance of "SOMETHING HAPPENED" from yesterday. I didn't fully understand this part myself.
Round 7: R T B S A E O I L
Chris: SORTABLE (8)
Charlene: LIBRATES (8)
DC: BLOATERS (8)
OT: STROBILAE (18)
Score: 37–54 (max 65)
8s in the studio but a nine goes amiss, giving us our first Darren of the day! As I am substituting for Jen, I will be subbing Darren Bent for other footballing Darren's during my tenure, starting with Ireland international Darren O'Dea, seeing as it's St Paddy's Day
Round 8: U R S E A M E J T
Chris: MEASURE (7)
Charlene: MEASURE (7)
DC: AUSTERE (7) STEAMER (7) EATERS (6)
OT: MATURES (7) RAMJETS (7) STRUMAE (7) TEAMERS (7)
Score: 44–61 (max 72)
It's MEASURE for MEASURE here as the gap remains at 17 points.
Round 9: 2, 3, 9, 7, 1, 100. Target: 412.
Chris: 412. (7-3)*100+9+2+1 (10)
Charlene: 412. (7-3)*100+9+2+1 (10)
Score: 54–71 (max 82)
Not the easiest method from the contestants but it's gets them both 10 more points.
Teatime teaser: HOTCRUST -> SHORTCUT
Round 10: O E D T R U P M I
Chris: TRUMPED (7)
Charlene: TRUMPED (7)
DC: IMPORTED (8)
Score: 61–78 (max 90)
The contestants are TRUMPED by DC's IMPORTED Darren!
Round 11: N R X A I E T P A
Chris: PAINTER (7)
Charlene: PAINTER (7)
DC: PERTAIN (7)
OT: REPAINT (7)
Score: 68–85 (max 97)
Only PAINTER and a couple of anagrams here
OoW: Susie talks about words related to the weather, every British persons' favourite topic!
Round 12: O R T E S R I L S
Chris: LORRIES (7)
Charlene: LOITERS (7)
DC: TOILERS (7) RESISTOR (8) torless
OT: ROISTERS (8) SORRIEST (8)
Score: 75–92 (max 105)
Chris is keeping Charlene in his sights by equalling her 7 but he could have cut the deficit back to within 10 if he had spotted one of the three 8 on show.
Round 13: W A P K O T E A M
Chris: MAKE (4)
Charlene: TEMPO (5)
DC: KEMPT (5)
OT: WAKAME (6)
Score: 75–97 (max 111)
Chris will know all about TEMPO being a music lecturer, but he misses it here and that is the knockout blow as Charlene wraps up the win with two rounds to spare. DC miss the darrenic 6 WAKAME, which is a type of edible seaweed.
Round 14: 7, 8, 10, 9, 25, 75. Target: 815.
Chris: 819.
Charlene: 817. (75+25)*8+10+7 (7)
RR: 815. (75+25+10-9)*8+7 (10)
Score: 75–104 (max 121)
Charlene makes it a debut century as Chris seems to have collapsed. Rachel's number skills are called into action for the first time today.
Round 15: T O P P S E L F I
Chris buzzes on 4 seconds to say FLOPPIEST which is correct.
Final Score: 85–104 (max 131)
Chris gets a consolation 10 points as he whisks off into the sunset with 2 wins, a teapot and a goody bag. Nick is sorry to see him go as he believed he was a "great player", but Charlene was better on the day and achieved an impressive victory. Can she go on to octochampdom? Well it will be difficult with Thomas Cappleman appearing on Thursday, but you never know what will happen on Countdown, well other than letters and numbers games. Robbo will be here tomorrow to take you through Charlene's next chapter, and I will be back next Tuesday. Will I be taking you through Charlene's sixth game? Will it be T-Cap? Will it be somebody else? Find out then, but until now....
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=72